WEBVTT OURREPORTER JOINS US IN THE STUDIOWITH THAT STORY.>> BEFORE HER MURDER, SHE MOVEDTO VIRGINIA BEACH TO ATTEND THEART INSTITUTE THERE.THE RETIRED NAVY PETTY OFFICERIS ACCUSED OF OF DUCTING HERWHEN SHE WORKED AT A FAST FOODRESTAURANT.THE AUTHORITIES SAY THAT AROUNDWAS A DAY LABORER AND BUILDS THEBLIMPIE'S RESTAURANT.HE WOULD VISIT THEIR DAILY ANDMAKE SEXUAL ADVANCES TO THE19-YEAR-OLD.CAR WAS FOUND IN SEPTEMBER.HER BODY WAS FOUND BEHIND ACHURCH, A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAYFROM BROWN'S HOME.HE SEARCHED THE AMBER ALERT ANDFOR A STORY LOOKING FOR A MANCONNECTED TO A HOMICIDE.>> THIS IS A COWARD AND HE DOESNOT DESERVE TO BREATHE THE AIRTHAT SHE AGREED AND I FEEL THESAME WAY.>> THE MAN CHARGED IN THEDISAPPEARANCE HAD A 21 YEAR

A retired Navy veteran was arrested Wednesday on a kidnapping charge in connection with Ashanti M. Billie, a 19-year-old Virginia Beach woman and Maryland native, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Virginia.According to court documents, Eric Brian Brown, 45, is accused of abducting Billie on Sept. 18 as she arrived for work at a Blimpie restaurant on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.One month before her killing, Billie moved from Prince George's County to Virginia Beach to attend the Art Institute.Billie's body was found on Sept. 29 in a wooded area behind a church in Charlotte, North Carolina. The area is about 300 yards from Brown's childhood home. The property on which the body was found is owned by the church, where Brown attended vacation Bible school as a child, prosecutors said.According to court documents, Brown, who spent 21 years in the Navy, worked as a day laborer and participated in the construction of the Blimpie this past summer. Billie's coworkers reported that Brown would visit the Blimpie almost every day and that he was seen often in neighboring buildings, prosecutors said.Witnesses reported seeing Brown attempting to flirt with Billie on several occasions, and one witness recalled hearing a conversation in which Brown made a crude sexual comment directly to Billie, prosecutors said.According to court documents, Billie's car and her pants were found in Norfolk on Sept. 23. Several witnesses described seeing a car like Billie's during the week of Sept. 18 parked at various locations in Charlotte neighborhoods near where Billie's body was found, prosecutors said.During an interview with law enforcement on Oct. 27, Brown told agents he was on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek on the evening of Sept. 17, and that, at one point, he blacked out and had no recollection of what he did for several days after that. When discussing the abduction and murder of Billie, Brown said he could not remember if he did anything to Billie, prosecutors said.Prosecutors said DNA samples taken from Billie's clothing were consistent with Brown's DNA profile.The criminal complaint said a browser history on Brown's phone said he searched for Norfolk news including the September Amber Alert looking for Billie and a story called, "Police looking for man in connection with homicide."In a statement, the Billie family thanked law enforcement for their work on the case and those who came forward with tips."This is a coward that took our daughter. I said before, he didn't deserve to breathe the air that she breathed, and seeing him now, I still feel the same way," said Billie's mother, Brandy Billie.Brown has been charged with kidnapping and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, if convicted. He was appointed a public defender and is scheduled to appear in court next week.

NORFOLK, Va. —

A retired Navy veteran was arrested Wednesday on a kidnapping charge in connection with Ashanti M. Billie, a 19-year-old Virginia Beach woman and Maryland native, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of Virginia.

According to court documents, Eric Brian Brown, 45, is accused of abducting Billie on Sept. 18 as she arrived for work at a Blimpie restaurant on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek.

According to court documents, Brown, who spent 21 years in the Navy, worked as a day laborer and participated in the construction of the Blimpie this past summer. Billie's coworkers reported that Brown would visit the Blimpie almost every day and that he was seen often in neighboring buildings, prosecutors said.

Witnesses reported seeing Brown attempting to flirt with Billie on several occasions, and one witness recalled hearing a conversation in which Brown made a crude sexual comment directly to Billie, prosecutors said.

FBI

According to court documents, Billie's car and her pants were found in Norfolk on Sept. 23. Several witnesses described seeing a car like Billie's during the week of Sept. 18 parked at various locations in Charlotte neighborhoods near where Billie's body was found, prosecutors said.

During an interview with law enforcement on Oct. 27, Brown told agents he was on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek on the evening of Sept. 17, and that, at one point, he blacked out and had no recollection of what he did for several days after that. When discussing the abduction and murder of Billie, Brown said he could not remember if he did anything to Billie, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said DNA samples taken from Billie's clothing were consistent with Brown's DNA profile.

The criminal complaint said a browser history on Brown's phone said he searched for Norfolk news including the September Amber Alert looking for Billie and a story called, "Police looking for man in connection with homicide."

In a statement, the Billie family thanked law enforcement for their work on the case and those who came forward with tips.

"This is a coward that took our daughter. I said before, he didn't deserve to breathe the air that she breathed, and seeing him now, I still feel the same way," said Billie's mother, Brandy Billie.

Brown has been charged with kidnapping and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, if convicted. He was appointed a public defender and is scheduled to appear in court next week.